Lovely hit song

Nostalgic yet new! Hit songs from the Showa era you’ll want to use as BGM

Music writer / guitarist / Certified web writing practitionerHoshino Takashi
Drawing on over 30 years of experience with guitars and bands since my high school days, I specialize in music-related articles and have handled many feature pieces to date. While my tastes lean toward genres like hard rock and heavy metal since I first picked up the guitar, I make a point of listening to a wide range of styles, both Japanese and Western, on a daily basis. I began working as a freelance writer in 2018. I hold a Web Writing Practical Certification, and in addition to writing, I’m also studying video editing. In my private life, I’m raising an elementary school child and stay active while supporting their extracurriculars, such as parkour and dance.

In recent years, Japanese city pop has been rediscovered worldwide, and revival hits have been emerging on social media like TikTok.

Classic songs that colored the Showa era are resonating with younger generations.

For those who lived through that era, songs that feel nostalgic might, conversely, feel fresh to listeners today.

This time, we’re introducing recommended tracks from the Showa period that are perfect as background music!

We’ve curated a list that people of all ages can enjoy, so be sure to check it out!

Nostalgic yet new! Hit songs born in the Showa era that we want you to use as BGM (11–20)

Sometimes, a tale from long ago — from Porco RossoKatō Tokiko

Sometimes, a tale from long ago — from Porco Rosso

Sometimes, a tale from long ago — from Porco RossoKatō Tokiko

This is a work written and composed by Tokiko Kato herself, whose warm yet faintly bittersweet worldview evokes a deep nostalgia for days of youth gone by.

As it searches for an unseen future, it conjures scenes of passionate conversations with friends—memories many listeners will find echoing their own.

The song was included on the album “MY STORY / Toki ni wa Mukashi no Hanashi wo,” released in February 1987, and is also known as the ending theme of the 1992 film Porco Rosso.

The piano arrangement used in the film, with its striking timbre, gently lets you linger in the afterglow of the story.

With its calm melody, it’s also great to play as background music when you want to focus on work.

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In conclusion

This time, we introduced some classic Showa-era songs that are perfect as background music—what did you think? From idol tunes to band tracks, they’re all pieces that capture the Showa vibe.

Since they’re famous songs everyone knows, they’re also great picks when you’re unsure what to sing at karaoke, so be sure to check them out.